Abraham Joseph Accused Of Sexual Assaults While On Duty

A Houston Police Department officer accused of sexually assaulting women while he was on duty was released from a Harris County jail early Saturday morning.

His bond was lowered on Friday from $500,000 to $150,000.

Abraham Joseph, 27, has been charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault.

Joseph went before a judge Tuesday. He has been named as a suspect in five attacks involving four other women.

Prosecutors had asked that he be declared a flight risk because they fear that Joseph might flee to India, the country of his birth.

"He is an American citizen. He's proud to be an American citizen and he should be treated like an American citizen. He doesn't have dual citizenship and he cannot walk into an Indian consulate and obtain a passport," said Nicole Deborde, defense attorney.

If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.

Houston police said the Special Crimes Division was notified on Jan. 2 that a woman said a uniformed HPD officer sexually assaulted her. Investigators said Joseph kidnapped a waitress from outside the El Diamante nightclub in southwest Houston.

Court papers said he handcuffed the woman and drove her to a nearby park, where he raped her on the back of his Houston police patrol car, according to prosecutors. She told investigators that he was in uniform and armed when it happened.

After an investigation, the Special Crimes Division and Internal Affairs Division said there was sufficient cause to immediately relieve Joseph of his duties the same day.

Prosecutors said that they are talking to four other women who may have been sexually assaulted by Joseph in the past five months.

Joseph worked southwest patrol for HPD. He joined the department in July 2009.

Joseph is married and his wife is expecting a child next month.

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